Clickety-Click

[le_trombone]

Via cosmicvar_feed, a wonderful article on metronomes (the mechanical kind):

Click to view

Cosmic Variance linked to SuperFly Physics for some other synchronizing metronomes ...

Click to view

... and python code to simulate it!

Comments

[pickledginger]

That is really nifty. Amazing to watch! Thank you.

[le_trombone]

There are some other science-oriented videos I've been saving up; I think I'll post them over the course of the next few days.

[ferlonda]

Fascinating. I don't understand it but it's fascinating. Thanks!

[le_trombone]

Basically, if you put the metronomes on a surface that can sway a little, you have a situation where the metronomes can affect their neighbors by the motion of the surface (think of starting up a swing from a nearly-motionless start).

It's neat, but a little scary how fast they sync up.

[ferlonda]

I thought that might be what was happening. I could see the table in the first video swaying. It is still kinda weird...